Little Rainman Too: Autism Through the Eyes of My Child

Little Rainman Too is a moving and deeply personal story about autism, seen through the eyes of a child. Inspired by the real-life experiences of Jonathan, a five-year-old child, author Karen Simmons offers readers a rare glimpse into how a young child with autism experiences the world, both verbally and nonverbally.Through Jonathan's story, parents, educators, caregivers, and professionals gain a better understanding of how autism can affect babies and young children. The book gently explores behaviors that may seem confusing or inappropriate from the outside, while revealing the sensitivity, intelligence, and unique perspective of a child on the autism spectrum.Readers will discover moments that are humorous, surprising, and deeply touching from Jonathan's fascination with flushing objects down the toilet and reenacting his favorite computer games, to his remarkable early reading ability and extraordinary sensitivity to sound, truth, and his environment. These real-life snapshots help explain both the challenges and the gifts that can accompany autism.Beautifully illustrated through the combined efforts of Rob Woodbury, now in his 60's with autism, along with Mitzi Briehn and Susan Simmons, the artwork enriches Jonathan's story and helps bring his inner world to life in a clear and meaningful way.Little Rainman Too is both a heartfelt family story and an educational resource for autism. It offers insight, empathy, and encouragement for anyone seeking to better understand autistic children and support inclusion in everyday life. Karen Simmons's hope is that the world will learn to enable rather than disable autistic and neurodiverse individuals and that greater understanding will replace fear with compassion. Dr. Temple Grandin, a very high-profile person with autism, uses the pictures in the book in her presentations to describe types of autism. She also says it helps in recognizing signs of autism for early intervention.Ideal for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone interested in autism awareness, child development, early intervention, and inclusion, Little Rainman Too invites readers to meet Jonathan and other children like him, at least partway in their journey.